Fluid-turbine rotor



June 8, 1926. 1,587,608

A. R. SIEGLER FLUID TURBINE RO TOR Filed April l5, 1925 Jllllln l Y. yllllmlu Patented .lune 8, 1925.

ARTHUR R. SIEGLER,

OF DENVER, COLORADO.

FLUID-TURBINE ROTOR.

Application filed April 1 This invention relatesY to turbines designed to abstract power from a current ot' iiuid.

To improve the efficiency of turbines of this class is the principal object of this in- 5 vention.

Another object is to provide passages in the turbine rotor so designed that the resultant motion between the current of fluid and the rotation ot the rotor will act to gradually reverse the direction of flow of the current so'as to discharge it in a direction opposite from that in which it enters the rotor.

A further object is to so arrange the rotor passages asto obtain a maximum number of passages in a minimum or space.

A still further object is to combine in one rotor two complete similar sets of passages.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction o'lf the invention, which results in simplicity, economy, and efficiency, and which will become more apparent Yfrom the following description.

In the 'following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a skeleton side elevation orI1 my improved rotor for fluid turbines.

Fig. 2 is a partial peripheral development oit Fig. 1. In this view the periphery ci the rotor has been straightened, for purposes ot illustration, .so that the intake open ings oi the passages lie in the same plane.

`In Figs. 1 and 2, the passages of the rotor are .shown in outline as though they were 'formed ci' sheet metal and were independent of each other. In actual practice, however, the passages would be cast integrally in a circular block or rotor 27 as illustrated in the remaining views.

Fig. 3 is a side elevation ot the improved rotor illustrated in Fig. 1, the passages being cast or formed within a circular' block.

Fig. 4 is an edge elevation of the` rotor illustrated in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an edge elevation of an alternate form oi the rotor to be later described.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the direction of iiow ot the t riving current.

Fig. T is a detail skeleton view illustrat-4 ing the arrangement of the passages when brought into close proximity.

3, 1925. Serial No. 22,789.

The object of the specific curvature of the passages is to cause the current illustrated at 10, to travel in a substantially straight line within the rotor, diagramined at 11 in Fig. 6, to a desired point, .such as at 12.` Fr m this point the current is turned in a gradual arc to a discharge, at 13, at the axis, where it will emerge in a direction substantially opposite from that in which it entered the rotor.

To accomplish this, I employ a series of .similarly contoured passages 14. Each of these passages enters the rotor at 22 in a radial direction immediately curving outward in the direction of rotation toward the periphery ofthe wheel, as illustrated at 15, to a junction point 16 where a comparatively sharp turn is made. From the junction point 16, the passage curves simultaneously toward the axis and toward the face of the rotor, as shown at 17 to a discharge opening 18 adjacent the axis of the rotor. The curve of the passage as it passes toward the axis constantly approaches a radial line.

In cross section, the passages 14 are rectangular and oblong in shape. At the pe- "iphery, the greatest width ot the passage extends at right angles to the axis of the rotor. From this point to the discharge, the passage is turned or twisted, its greatest width swinging iirst toward a parallel to the axis the-nce to a substantially radial position at the discharge of the rotor.

Assuming the current Vto be entering the rotor at the point indicated by the arrow 19, in Fig. 1, it will be seen that the current will flow in a straight line to the junction point 16. The intake or mouth of a given passage rises as the wheel rotates but, since the fluid is moving away trom the intake and the passage is curved inward, this rotation will result in but slightly distorting the line of 'flow of the -fluid and a given pointin the fluid will move in a substantially straight line to the point 12, as diagramined in Fig. 6. This slight distortion abstracts power from the current i/iow across the top of the wheel. The cross sectional twist in the pas sages also results in friction to the@ low ot current and abstracts power therefrom.

In the normal operation, the current entering at 19 will reach the .sharp junction in the passages 16 at a point in the travel indicated by the star 20. At this point, the current is turned from its substantially straight *line iiow and reversed, as to direction ot flow, in the .spirally curved passage 17. In flowing down the curved passage 17, it will exert a driving force on the outer wall of the passage toward the direction of rotation until it discharges at 18. The friction to the fiow in the passage 15, the sharp turn at 16, and the force exerted against the outer wall et' the passage at 17, will all co-act to abstract the power from the current and rectify it into circular motion of the rotor.

In order to increase the number of passages in a rotor, I prefer to arrange them in staggered` relation, asillustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, that is, each alternate passage will discharge at one face of the rotor 27 while the remaining alternate passages will discharge at the opposite face of the rotor. This arrangement .allows the adjacent passages to immediately overlap each other, as well as overlap the alternate passages, so that there will be at various radii of the rotor, such as indicated by the lin-e 21-21 Fig. 2, three overlapping passages. This arrangement results in a very compact rotor equalling in power the usual type rotors of much greater diameters.

ln Fig. 5, I have illustrated an alternate form of the rotor in which two independent seri-es of passages 23 and 24 are carried in the rotor.` The entire series 23 discharge at the side 25 of therotor while the entire series 24 discharge at the side 26 of the rotor. Vf ith this arrangement, l obtain practically double the power delivery of a rotor of the same dimensions having a single series of passages.

The passages in the rotor have been illustrated slightly spaced apart. They can. however, be brought into close proximity with but athin vane between the intake openings 22 as illustrated in Fig. 7. When placed thus, it is necessary to bevel olf the corners, as illustrated in this view, so as to allow the alternate passages to be bent away from each other. This beveling of the corners results in the intalre openings of rhomboidal shape. This specilic shape of intake opening has been found to have a great advantage over the usual rectangular shape in that it allows a passage to gradually open to and close from the intake opening of the turbine and allows the openings to overlap each other so that the pulsation or interruption of the flow is reduced to a minimum.y

`While a specific form of the invention has been described and illustrated herein, it is desired to be understood that the saine may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus -described the invention, what T claim and desire secured by Letters Patent is 1. In a turbine rotor, a series of passages,

said passages entering saidV rotor at the periphery in a radial direction, curving outward toward the periphery thereof and toward the direction of travel thenc-e curving inward towards a radial line to a discharge adjacent the axis thereof.

2. In a turbine rotor, a series of passages, said passages entering said rotor at the periphery in a radial direction, curving outward toward the periphery thereof and toward the direction of travel thence curving inward towards a radial ,line to a discharge adjacent the axis thereof, said curving outward and said curving inward portions intersecting at angle.

3. Ina turbine rotor, the combination of a series of passages entering at the periphery of said rotor and curving, in the direction of travel, outward toward said periphery thence curving inward in the direction of travel :and discharging adjacent the axis at one face of the rotor, and a second series of similar passages alternating with the passages of said hrst series and discharging from the opposite face of said rotor.

In a turbine rotor, a series of passages entering at the periphery of said rotor and curving, in th-e direction of travel, outward toward said periphery thence curving inward in the direction of travel and discharging adjacent the axis at one face ofthe rotor, and a second series of similar passages .alternating with the passages of said first series and dischargingA from the opposite face of said rotor, the passages of said secend series overlapping the passages of said first series in said rotor.

5. In a turbine rotor, a series of passages entering at the periphery of said rotor and curving, in the .direction of travel, outward toward said periphery thence curving inward in the direction of travel and discharging adjacent the axis at one face ofthe rotor, and a second seri-es of similar passages alternating with the passages of said first series and discharging from the opposite face of said rotor, the passages in each series overlapping the passages in the other series and passages in the same series.

6. In a turbine rotor, the combination of a series of passages ventering at the periphery of said rotor and curving outward toward the periphery in the direction` of travel4 of th-c rotor thence curving-'inward in the direction of travel and discharging adjacent the axis at one face of the rotor and a second series of similar' passages alternating with the passages of said first series and discharging from the opposite face of said rotor, the cross sections of thev passages toward their' intaking. ends being rhoinboidal in shape.

ln testimony ture. v

ARTHUR R. SIEGLER.

whereof, l aiii'x my signaliti 

